


Leopold Fitz

by notwaitingforshit



Series: Origins [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Academy Era, Gen, Pre-Relationship, eventually fitzsimmons, first fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 20:30:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4451132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notwaitingforshit/pseuds/notwaitingforshit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A slight origin story of Leo Fitz, focusing on the few weeks before shipping out to the Academy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Leopold Fitz

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I've ever written so please tell me what you think! (:
> 
> If you guys like them, I'd like to do origins/pre Academy's for Jemma and Sky too (au)

It had been this way for a long time now. Nearly his whole life, now that he actually thought about it, just now it seemed more noticeable. Standing close by, near the array of milks at the fridge was a pair of eyes. They belonged to a later-than middle aged woman in what looked like her pajamas from the night before. She was looking at him for what seemed to be almost an uncomfortable amount of time before moving on. 

He had noticed things like this all throughout his life. It seemed that almost everytime he went out, there was someone who would be looking at him, it was never a scary experience he just considered it odd. It wasn’t anything that really bothered him either it was just an observation he realized over time. And he knew it didn’t have to do with his looks, because he was, to his standards, a pretty normal guy.

Fitz always considered himself a loner as well. Not because he so much liked it but more so that he was too smart for everyone else around him to really get along with anyone. He had just turned seventeen and was close to finishing his first PhD in London, and even now he was surpassing all of his much older peers. 

Now standing, holding a jar of pasta sauce, eyes still loosely placed on the rows of milk, Fitz had his realization. He had been seeing people look at him like this since grade school, and now it had become more frequent. The woman who had been looking at him seemingly vanished, since as Fitz completed his shopping, he didn’t see her anywhere. 

Looking at the lines, he chose the self checkout because he honestly didn’t feel like dealing with an annoying, “How are you?!,” cashier.   
As he scanned his items, he looked up. and about four lanes away, one of the cashiers was staring at him, not even focused on what he himself was scanning. Quickly finishing up, Fitz payed and grabbed his bags, and flew out of the automatic doors with extra energy zipping his legs forward. 

This was getting weird, Fitz thought, now walking his way towards his dorm building. Never had he had it happen twice to him in such a short span of time. 

What was their purpose? What could they want with me? Well okay, let’s be rational here Fitz, maybe they’re just wandering eyes, no big deal. But that lady by the dairy was taking her sweet time “just looking around” then, ay? Fine, but maybe she wasn’t even looking at you, she was--

Fitz’s mind raced with all the other possibilities there could be for this sort of phenomena but he figured he best push it to the side, he had a final project to tend to.

 

_____

 

Fitz had his own, personal dorm, if they hadn’t offered one, he would have requested one every year anyway. He needed his space, he couldn’t have anyone else messing around with his projects. Also, most of them could cause serious damage to someone who didn’t know what they were doing. He was now hard at work, curtains drawn and only two small lamps on, illuminating his work space, lightly casting the rest of the room in a soft, yellow glow. 

He had schematics for his own, newly designed arc reactor, and was well at work at refining the specifics. This was his final project, and he hoped that it may get recognition from Tony Stark himself. His room was a complete mess, with clothes, and food wrappers, and drawings of old ideas, and all other kinds of trinkets strewn across the space (another reason why he shouldn’t have a roommate). At about four a.m, Fitz finally completed his work, and tomorrow was the presentation.

 

______

 

Fitz got very high remarks for his newly re-designed arc reactor. Actually, astounding remarks, and even got recognition from Stark industries (no Tony though, I heard he was busy making some sort of next-gen suit). Fitz’s mum was so proud of him, showering him in small face kisses when he got off stage, the crowd of his classmates still applauding, 

“Oh honey you did amazing!”

“Mum, please stop this is a professional place”

“You did so good, who cares, be happy!” now holding him in her hug tighter.

Fitz couldn’t help but smile at this a bit, he loved his mum so much and she had always been a huge supporter of his but she was actually crying tears of joy, and it gave him an extra sense of confidence.

After the show, some investors approached him in the lobby, mostly from the UN and the US military, and a few more organizations he hadn’t heard of before, one of which the name was so long he couldn’t even remember (strategic homeland something?), and this other weird one called Hydra (he wasn’t too sure on that one though, the guy looked like an asshole). 

He was given their information and said he would be in contact with them, but truthfully, all he could focus on now, was graduation. 

 

_____

 

And it came sooner than he could have imagined.

There he was, sitting there, small Leo Fitz, in a mini sea of caps and gowns awaiting his turn to walk up on stage. He had gotten special mentions earlier in the ceremony but this was the big moment. He could almost feel the proud gaze of his mum behind him, with a beaming smile encompassing her face.

“Leopold Fitz!”

He jumped up and nearly tripped on his way up the stairs, typical. He strode across the stage, eyes wide and locked on his professor, standing there with his arm out, ready to congratulate him. Fitz awkwardly grabbed the piece of paper and gave the handshake at the same time, subsequently crossing his arms in the most embarrassing of ways. Prof. Richards let out a chuckle with a big smile on his face. And in a tone only the two of them could hear, “You are the best student I’ve ever had Fitz, and you're gonna do great things, I know it.”

This put the smile that had been lingering inside him flat on his face now. He looked straight out and his mum was there, exactly where he knew she would be, he took it in for just a second, then hurried back down the stairs.  
Standing at the bottom was a man in a well-fitted suit staring at him.

Really? Another one? Now?

“Come with me Mr. Fitz”

“Wha- what? No!”

The man firmly grabbed Fitz’s forearm and led him out of the auditorium’s side entrance. “Okay, okay, I’m coming you can let go of my arm now,” the man released Fitz from his forearm entrapment and continued to take him through a series of hallways he never even knew existed. 

Rubbing his arm, 

cause the guy was proper built and had one of the strongest grips I’ve ever felt might I add, 

But also because he was suddenly very nervous, unsure to where this will end up.

Where is he taking me anyway? This is my graduation what the hell is this?

Finally, up ahead there was a set of double doors, which the suited man smashed through quite easily. Inside, a small, unassuming room with a women, and two guards behind her.

“Hi!” she said with a smile, “I’m sorry for all the secrecy and everything but you know, ‘top secret business’” she put the last three words in air quotes.  
“What the hell is going on? This is my graduation!” his words hit the room louder and more oppressive than he anticipated, his boost of confidence from these last few days quickly depleting by his sudden intimidation.

“I am Maria Hill, Deputy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D”  
“Shield?”  
“Yes, the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division”

Fitz didn’t know why it took him this long to recognize the name. But now, standing in this room and seeing the logo pin on their jackets, he remembers.   
He’d heard a lot about S.H.I.E.L.D as he was first coming up into college and the great things they were doing. For a long time, he actually wished to be recruited by them to have a chance to be on the cutting edge of his field. 

And now may just be my chance. 

“I wanted to come here to first congratulate you on your graduation and your big success with your re designed arc reactor.”  
He respectively nodded his head.

“We at S.H.I.E.L.D have had our eyes on you for a long time now. actually ever since the end of middle school, and you then barely spent two years in high school, and now you're graduating college, at the top of your class, receiving a PhD at 17. S.H.I.E.L.D has been with you every step of the way.”

Sudden realization hit him again. S.H.I.E.L.D had been the people always watching, always there, ever present.

“We could have just sent you a letter like most of our recruits, but I wanted to come here personally You are one of the best S.H.I.E.L.D has ever seen. Actually you, and one other new recruit will be the youngest students ever at our Academy.”  
Fitz was stunned.  
“Of course, only if you accept.”  
“Yes, yeah, yep, I… Yes.”   
“Fantasic! More information is in this letter,” she handed the letter to him with the S.H.I.E.L.D logo on the seal, “but classes start in two weeks, the campus is in Boston, Massachusetts, so we’ll fly you out a few days before so you can get settled, I hope to see you there Mr. Fitz.”  
“Alright,” Fitz was enthusiastic at this offer, and thoughts ran through his mind as he went out the door.

“Oh and Fitz,” He turned around, “You can’t tell anyone about this, well, except your immediate family, this is top secret business,” she gave him a smile, “That is all.”

 

_____

 

Fitz’s mum had been emotional to begin with, but this pushed her over the edge. When he first told her the news he thought she nearly had a breakdown she was so happy. It made him feel great that he could make his mum this proud, yet he was heartbroken that he was going to have to leave her to go to the states.

It was the day of the flight and he woke up more calm than he anticipated. He usually tries to stay in his house or dorm as much as possible but he was excited for this. Truthfully, he didn’t really know where he would have gone if he didn’t get this offer.

He supposed he’d end up working for less money than he should for a job he was way overqualified to do. So knowing his potential was sought after by the greatest technological and homeland safety organization in the world was a bit more than flattering. 

His last hug before getting in the cab to his mum was a strong one.   
“You’ll do great Leo, I know it, I love you”

“Love you too mum”

She gave him a kiss on the cheek and he climbed into the cab. he let out a sigh and looked out the window at his home for the last time, he was ready.   
“Airport, please”

 

______

 

His flight was at 1:00 and he had made it through all of the gates by 12:32. A small sense of accomplishment hit him, mostly because he thought he was going to be late for the flight, also, because he wasn’t the most punctual person. 

He took a look at his watch, then his ticket, just to reassure it was the right time. Now he sought after a seat where he could wait out the last twenty eight minutes. 

The airport was extremely busy, having it be mid day on a Friday. He rolled his suitcase down the rows of seats and nothing looked available. But then he looked towards the far corner towards the wall, and there was a seat with only bags on it.

Next to the prettiest girl he’d ever seen in his life.


End file.
